Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

Mexico's environment minister resigns, president defends government's green record

Published 09/02/2020, 04:00 PM
Updated 09/02/2020, 04:35 PM

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's environment minister has resigned after clashing with colleagues over policy priorities, prompting President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to defend the government's green credentials on Wednesday.

Environment Minister Victor Manuel Toledo, an academic known for his views on sustainable agriculture and the environmental practices of Mexico's indigenous people, said his decision was due to health reasons and "free from political implication."

Toledo's resignation had been widely speculated since a recording was leaked in which he criticized the government's divergent views on environmental issues, specifically the use of the herbicide glyphosate by farmers.

In a resignation speech recorded alongside the president, Toledo said Lopez Obrador was due to publish a decree in coming days prohibiting genetically modified corn and confirming that glyphosate would be phased out.

He said 80 other farm chemicals should be banned in Mexico.

Lopez Obrador, who has been criticized for policies seen as favoring fossil fuels over renewable energy, said a giant tree-planting project, a ban on fracking and a moratorium on new mining concessions showed his government's commitment to the environment.

However, he said the welfare of human beings came before nature.

Lopez Obrador said Toledo's decision to leave pre-dated the fight over glyphosate, which is popular with farmers.

The herbicide often sold as Bayer AG (DE:BAYGN)'s Roundup has been linked to cancer in court cases. The company has long said regulators have deemed glyphosate safe for use by humans.

Several European countries are considering limits on its use.

Toledo, 75, will return to his prior post as a biologist at Mexico's National Autonomous University.

Welfare Minister Maria Luisa Albores will take Toledo's post and be replaced by her deputy minister, Javier May.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.